Car seat problems

We have installed two graco infant carriers (with bases) in our Honda Accord- two door. One is behind the driver and one behind the passenger (it doesn't fit correctly if we put one in the middle). The problem is, DH can NOT drive the car now- he cant put the seat back enough that he can move. I'm pretty uncomfortable driving it as well (and sitting in the passenger seat).
We went and tested the Honda Pilot AND their mini van- same problem.

We've gone over and over the directions and don't think we're doing anything wrong. Is anyone else having a problem getting their seats to fit and being able to move the driver's seat? Are we installing them wrong?

 

I would think that in a two door, smaller car (I'm not familiar with Accord) it would make it hard to push the seats back far enough for someone to drive comfortably. You could always take the seats to your local police station and they should be able to help you install them and you can see if you've done it right. :good: I surprised that even in the minivan it was hard to push back the seat, but again, I've not been inside the Honda minivan. Good luck!

 

not sure you can try to go to your local fire department and or hospital and ask for help.

 

I drive the Honda Odyssey Minivan, and we have not had any problems with the car seats and moving the other seats. I did have some issues when I had a smaller compact car though.

Molly
37 weeks 6 days

 

Nope don't think your doing anything wrong. I have 4 dr honda accord and same gracos and having same problem. I have to sit about two inches closer to wheel than normal, though I'm tall and was way far back before, so it just makes it more uncomfy not undriveable-the only thing that i/we may be doing wrong, which I need to check/ play with, is how far reclined rear facing seats are. There may be a way to safely have babies sit more upright and still be rear facing with support padding? The gracos seem like they are very reclined which makes them hit back of seat more-please keep me posted if you figure it out! Plan is to get a used minvan next year for us-since I'm going back to work only pt when my hubby is home (due to this being more cost effective than daycare), I'm hoping not to have to drive them too much before tax return comes and I can get minivan

 

yep, we had that problem with the infant seats being in the middle row of our mercury villager..i have LONG legs, though i'm short and i just could NOT put the seat back far enough...not to mention then the older kids couldn't get through to the back seat...we put the infant seats in the back row with izzy's toddler/booster in the middle...he's still using the 5 point harness so that eliminates someone having to unbuckle each time they get out and accidently unbuckling an infant seat...also with the middle seats upright (they aren't right now, we folded them down because the olders are out of town) that will help secure even more the infant seats in place...i say find something with a 3rd row and give that a try..yes it will require a lot of climbing around and manuvering but you may find it more comfortable and you'll adapt to it...keep in mind, they aren't in the infant seats for forever and once they turn to face forward, you can easily move them to the middle...

 

My SIL & BIL only have one but they also have a dog and here's what they do..they bought the Pontiac Uplander (for a VERY good price before GM canned Pontiac) and have taken one of the two middle row bucket seats out. That gives lots of access to put the kid in the rear row, in her seat.

And then usually my SIL sits in the middle row, or in the back with the kid, and the dog sits in the front...

 

I could see having a problem with the Accord but not the Odyssey (that is what I drive)...not familar enough with the Pilot to say.

We had two graco infant seats and a convertible seat for our older daughter and they fit fine. I would take an Odyssey on a test drive and go to a local place that does car seat inspections (the fire dept here) and have them help you. Does your DH need the seat back as far as it goes? Mine isn't back all the way but I'm sure you could make it work with the Odyssey. If you want them in the second row you could try moving the captains' seat on the passenger side to the middle (taking out the little middle seat) or just put them in the back row. Good Luck!!

 

We don't have graco, but we have baby trend. I have yet to try them in my car, but they fit horribly in my husband's quad cab (4door) dodge truck. It's a full size back seat too. It doesn't bother me too much to have the passenger seat almost all the way forward, but I am only 4'11. My hubby is 5'10 though and it's really uncomfortable for him to have his seat so far forward and so straight up. We need to try and see if one will fit in the middle and then the other behind the passenger. We have it easy because our car seats have those latch things and his truck has the connectors (except in the middle). I am waiting for him to get home to try and install one in the middle since I'm not too sure how to do it without the latch things lol.

Hopefully you find a solution! I guess I should really see how they fit in my nissan altima.

 

when izzy was born, we had a ford f150 cab and a 1/2...we didn't use the base and the passenger seat STILL had to be slid pretty far up...i've thought about taking them off the base, but that is SUCH a pain with all the extra buckling and what not...

 

Neither of us could drive comfortably with two infant seats installed in our Mazda 3 cars. We upgraded to the Honda Odyssey and had no problem with the Graco infant carrier/seats. Katelyn outgrew the length of the Graco well before we could turn the girls forward-facing and we were able to get a larger convertible seat in there for her rear-facing. We just had to move the second row as far back as it would go.

 

What Graco ones do you have? The snugride is a bit smaller I think than the safeseat or the new snugride 32. I would definitely try the fire dept or police station to see if they can help you install them correctly and so that you can drive. Good luck!

 

We also found that if you put the handle all the way in the upright/carrying position (on the snugride it's position "A" rather than all the way back ("D" and "E" are also safe positions) it allows you to move the seat back another inch or so... every inch helps!

 

How strange! Another Odyssey/Graco owner here, and we never had a problem. I'm short, but my DH is almost 6ft tall and he was fine. I definitely think you should take it and have the carseats installed and checked, couldn't hurt!